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Update: Google is officially rolling out ARCore 1.0, which is now available for 13 smartphones - Google Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, Samsung Galaxy S8, S8+, Note8, S7 and S7 edge, LG V30 and V30+ (Android O only), ASUS Zenfone AR and OnePlus 5. It will be available in upcoming devices from Samsung, Huawei, LGE, Motorola, ASUS, Xiaomi, HMD/Nokia, ZTE, Sony Mobile, and Vivo later this year. Google said that ARCore is designed to work on a wide variety of qualified Android phones running Android 7.0 (Nougat) and later.
Google said that ARCore 1.0 has improved environmental understanding that enables users to place virtual assets on textured surfaces like posters, furniture, toy boxes, books, cans and more.
Google is pushing very hard on perfecting the ARCore to bring augmented reality and according to a report from The Variety, the company is planning on releasing the ARCore V1.0 at the MWC 2018 event. ARCore brings augmented reality to billions of Android phones without having to rely on hardware like project Tango.
However, it looks like the update is already available rolling out a bit earlier than planned. Additionally, Google is also expanding the ARCore SDK support to all Nougat devices, instead of ...
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Xiaomi launched the the Mi TV 4 for the first time in India last week at a price of Rs. 39,999 . It went on sale in the country today at 2PM. Xiaomi has announced that the TV got huge response from the customers, which was sold out in less than 10 seconds on Flipkart and Mi.com. However the company did not share the number of TVs sold during the sale, unlike it did for the Redmi Note 5 smartphones. Some users said that it sold out before they could see the buy button.
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The company has launched only the 55-inch 4K Mi TV 4 model in the country and it plans to bring more models based on the response. The Mi TV 4 has a 4.9mm slim frameless design and comes with Patch Wall, a UI layer on top of the Android OS that’s based on deep learning AI technology that can curate content based on recommendations. It brings all the content from the STB and seamlessly integrates right on your homepage.
For content, Xiaomi has partnered with Hotstar, SunNxt, Voot, Sony LIV, Hungama and more. The company says that it comes with 500K+ hrs of content, and almost 80% of all content ...
Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 5 Pro in India last week, which went on sale today for the first time on Flipkart as well as Mi.com and was sold out within minutes. At the launch Xiaomi promised to bring Face unlock that will be available via OTA update by the end of March, but today as a surprise the company rolled out the Face unlock feature for the phone via an OTA update. This is the first Xiaomi smartphone in India to get the feature.
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At the launch the company said that its face detection algorithm scans facial features in roughly 500ms using a high-accuracy matching mechanism, making it faster than the fingerprint scanner. However Face unlock is not as secured as fingerprints.
The MIUI v9.2.4 NEIMIEK update is 1.6GB in size and also brings significant camera improvements and stability optimizations. It is already available for the reviews units, and those who ordered the phone today will get the update as soon as they boot up their phone.
To remind you, the Redmi Note 5 Pro sale on Flipkart and Mi.com is scheduled for 28th February, Wednesday at 12 noon.
Google introduced Files Go beta app back in November last year to free up space on your Android phone, later it was released widely in December. The company keeps updating the app adding new features. It got option to open files in other apps, tablet support and more last month. Now it has received an option to back up your files to Google Drive.
To use this, you just need to select the files and click the three dots menu and click "Back up to Google Drive". You will be asked for confirmation. Then it will list of files that will be backed up. If you have have multiple drive accounts, you need to select one, and you can also select the folder when you want to files to be saved. You need to have Google Drive app to be installed on your phone to use this feature.
The changelog lists that the latest update adds additional SD card features and includes bug fixes and performance improvements. You can download the Google Files Go app from the Play Store here.
ARCHOS ahead of the MWC 2018 event has announced the Hello Smart Display with Google Assistant support. It comes in two variants; one with 7-inch HD display and the other one with an 8.4-inch Full HD touchscreen display. The Smart Display packs high fidelity speaker and powered by a quad-core processor.
It comes embedded with Google Android Oreo for many activities at home: voice requests, objects, and services control, video call, etc. It looks like an Echo Show from Amazon but with Google Assistant support instead of Alexa. It can be used in portrait or landscape mode and has 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. It packs four long range multidirectional microphones, a 5 MP, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, and a battery of 4000mAH.
The company says that it is ideal to receive and make video calls with Google Duo, send messages, listen to and to answer queries including news, weather forecasts, traffic conditions, consultation app, applications, and services. It is compatible with services like Google Music, Spotify, YouTube, etc. and can even broadcast content on a larger screen, like television. Furthermore, the ARCHOS Hello also manages all connected objects in the house including lights, radiators, shutters, surveillance cameras, voice-control PicoWAN smartplug.
The ARCHOS Hello will ...
Avenir Telecom, under its Energizer brand is already releasing smartphones. Today it has announced that it will introduce new Energizer POWER MAX P16K Pro Android smartphone with whopping 16,000mAh battery at the Mobile World Congress 2018 in Barcelona next week. Few years back OUKITEL introduced K10000 smartphone with 10,000mAh battery and 10 days of battery life.
The company also says that it will have an ultra slim design, even though it packs a huge battery. It will have a 5.99-inch 18:9 Full HD+ display, 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. Since it packs a huge battery it should be quite heavy, but it should last for weeks. Hope the company will offer fast charging support since it will takes hours to charge the huge battery.
The company will share complete specifications of the smartphone as well as the image of the phone at the ShowStoppers on 25th February, Sunday in Barcelona.
Opera introduced Opera Max, data savings app in the U.S. and Europe in 2014, which was launched in India in 2015. In the same year Samsung introduced Galaxy J2 with Ultra Data Saving mode powered by Opera Max and started adding the feature in other budget and mid-range smartphones. Last year Opera discontinued the app and said that it will not get any update.
Today Samsung has took over the app and renamed the app as Samsung Max so all the existing users who updates the app will see the change. Samsung says that the upgraded version will now get updates from Samsung and will feature improved Data Saving and Privacy Protection Mode, along with an enhanced design and user experience.
Samsung also said that the app will now be available only for select Samsung smartphones and non-Samsung smartphone users will be not able to use it after the application.
It also said that Samsung Max will come preloaded on all Galaxy A and Galaxy J series smartphones in India, Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, Thailand and Vietnam. It is also available for download via the Google Play or Galaxy Apps stores on additional Samsung devices.
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Huawei is expected to introduce its flagship smartphones in the P20 series at separate event in March in Paris. We had seen several renders of the smartphones in recent times. Now two smartphones with model numbers EML-AL00 and EML-TL00 have been listed on TENAA in China, which could be P20.
This shows iPhone X-like top-notch that we had seen in the P20 Lite but the fingerprint sensor is present on the front instead of back in the P20 Lite. The image reveals a metal body and Huawei branding on the back. It shows dual rear cameras with LEICA lenses, which hints that only the P20 Plus will feature triple rear cameras.
The phone is rumored to run Android 8.1 Oreo with EMUI 8.1 on top and is expected to be powered by Kirin 970 SoC. Huawei is expected to introduced new range of MediaPad tablets at the MWC 2018 next week, but are not expecting and new phones at the event. We should know more details about the P20 series when the phones get certified by TENAA in the coming weeks.
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Jabra today launched the Elite 65t True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds with Alexa voice support in India. The company claims that it can offer 15 hours of audio playback on a single charge and comes included pocket-friendly charging case.
The Jabra Elite 65t Earbuds allows you to personalize the music through an equalizer that can be accessed through the Jabra Sound+ companion application. The new earbuds have a distinct focus on the voice experience that is capable of delivering superior audio quality for calls and music without wires. It comes with four microphone solution combined with an optimized acoustic chamber that enables advanced noise suppression and voice enhancement for every type of environment.
It connects to smartphones through Bluetooth 5.0 and also has one-touch access to Amazon Alexa voice assistant. You can make Aleca ask to play music, hear the news, the heck weather, control smart home devices, and much more. The headset weights 6.5 grams each and the charging case weighs 67 grams. The Jabra Elite 65t packs 3 Lithium-ion batteries which are included in the box. It promises 5 hours of battery life and the case offer additional 10 hours of battery life. A 15 minute rapid charge gives up to 1.5 hours battery.
The Elite 65t come in Titanium ...
After partnering with Intex, Karbonn and HMD Global, Airtel has partnered with Lenovo / Motorola to offer affordable 4G smartphone options to customers as part of Airtel’s ‘Mera Pehla Smartphone’ initiative. Under this partnership Moto C, Moto E4 and Lenovo K8 Note 4G smartphones are now available with cashback of Rs. 2000 from Airtel.
These 4G smartphones will come bundled with a special Airtel recharge pack of Rs. 169 offering 1GB 4G data per day and unlimited calling – Local and STD.
You need to pay upfront amount of Rs. 5,999, Rs. 8,499 and Rs. 12,999 for the Moto C, Moto E4 and Lenovo K8 Note, respectively and do 36 continuous monthly recharges worth Rs. 3500. You will get a cash refund of Rs 500 after 18 months and another Rs. 1500 after 36 months, taking the total cash benefit to Rs. 2000.
Moto C specifications
5-inch (854 x 480 pixels) FWVGA display
1.1GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6737M 64-bit processor with Mali-T720 GPU
1GB RAM, 16GB internal memory, expandable memory up to 32GB with microSD
Dual micro SIMs
Android 7.0 (Nougat)
5MP auto focus rear camera with LED Flash, 1.4 microns, 74° lens, 720p video recording
2MP front-facing camera with LED flash, 1.0 microns, 63° lens
3.5mm audio jack, FM ...
Samsung back in September announced that it is working on 7LPP (Low Power Plus) with EUV (extreme ultra violet) lithography technology for smartphones that is targeted for initial production in the second half of 2018. Today, as expected, the company has announced that it is building new EUV (extreme ultraviolet) line in Hwaseong, Korea.
Samsung will use EUV technology starting with its 7-nanometer (nm) LPP (Low Power Plus) process. Yesterday Samsung and Qualcomm announced that they have expanded their foundry partnership for on EUV process technology and also said that future Snapdragon 5G mobile chipsets will use Samsung’s 7nm LPP EUV process technology.
Samsung said that the new EUV line will enable to strengthen its leadership in single nanometer process technology to meet demand from various applications, including mobile, server, network, and HPC (high performance computing).
The new facility is expected to be completed within the second half of 2019 and will be ready for production in 2020. The initial investment in the new EUV line is expected reach USD 6 billion by 2020 and the company said that additional investment will be determined depending on market circumstances.
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Micromax today launched its Ayurveda Series Air Conditioners in India starting at Rs. 29,990. The new series is specially designed for the diverse Indian weather conditions and curb the bad air quality. They are powered by the R32 eco-friendly refrigerant and has much lower ozone-depleting & global warming potential than some other refrigerants used in the market. They are also made of 100% copper.
It is also India’s first AC with a PM 2.5 filter powered by the goodness of 'Neem' which is also perfect for the Indian climate with its cooling solution, according to the company. Micromax claims that the new line-up is said to provide anti-bacterial & anti-allergen properties through the neem filter.
The company in the next 12 months aims to capture 5% market share of the Indian AC market and establish itself as a serious player in the category.
The Micromax Ayurveda Series Air Conditioners range between Rs. 29,990 to Rs. 39,990 depending on the variant. The company says that it has also set up dedicated service centres and customer service applications for the new product segment for better customer reach.
Commenting on the launch, Rajesh Agarwal, Co-founder, Micromax Informatics said:
Indian consumer’s needs have been the topmost priority at Micromax and we ...
Xiaomi today announced that it has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Microsoft to collaborate in cloud computing, artificial intelligence and the development of equipment for use with notebook computers. The companies will also collaborate in personal assistants using their own existing devices, including Microsoft’s Cortana.
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Partnership with Microsoft is not new for Xiaomi. In 2015 Microsoft tied up with Xiaomi to offer Windows 10 ROM for the Xioami Mi 4. In 2016 Xiaomi acquired 1,500 patents from Microsoft and said that it will pre-load Microsoft Office and Skype apps on its Android smartphones and tablets. The same year it also introduced Mi Notebook running Windows 10.
With the latest partnership Xiaomi expects to bring more new products and services to its users and also allow Microsoft to reach more users using Xiaomi products.
Commenting on the partnership, Xiaomi Senior Vice President Wang Xiang, said:
We’ve been very happy in our collaboration with Microsoft, and we’re very happy to continue deepening the relationship with the signing of this strategic memorandum of understanding. Xiaomi’s mission is to let everyone in the world enjoy technology. This collaboration with Microsoft in many areas of technology will help us to more quickly deliver more outstanding products and services to our users.
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Update: Google is officially rolling out ARCore 1.0, which is now available for 13 smartphones - Google Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, Samsung Galaxy S8, S8+, Note8, S7 and S7 edge, LG V30 and V30+ (Android O only), ASUS Zenfone AR and OnePlus 5. It will be available in upcoming devices from Samsung, Huawei, LGE, Motorola, ASUS, Xiaomi, HMD/Nokia, ZTE, Sony Mobile, and Vivo later this year. Google said that ARCore is designed to work on a wide variety of qualified Android phones running Android 7.0 (Nougat) and later.
Google said that ARCore 1.0 has improved environmental understanding that enables users to place virtual assets on textured surfaces like posters, furniture, toy boxes, books, cans and more.
Google is pushing very hard on perfecting the ARCore to bring augmented reality and according to a report from The Variety, the company is planning on releasing the ARCore V1.0 at the MWC 2018 event. ARCore brings augmented reality to billions of Android phones without having to rely on hardware like project Tango.
However, it looks like the update is already available rolling out a bit earlier than planned. Additionally, Google is also expanding the ARCore SDK support to all Nougat devices, instead of ...
[Update: Xiaomi has announced that the stable build is now available for all the Redmi 4A users]
Xiaomi launched Redmi 4A running MIUI 8 based on Marshmallow back in March 2017 but company didn’t announce anything regarding the android update for the device. The company rolled out Android Nougat 7.1.2-based MIUI 9 Beta ROM in mid-November followed by Android Nougat 7.1.2-based MIUI 8 Stable ROM in November end, Nougat-based Stable ROM was later discarded by the company.
Redmi 4A is the only device launched in 2017 which was kept in third batch as per the announcement made during MIUI 9 launch and was supposed to get MIUI 9.0 Stable update back in December, but company decided to skip MIUI 9.0 update for the third batch of devices to provide MIUI 9.2 directly. Now, some users have reported that they are receiving a new Nougat-based OTA update as Nightly build on their Redmi 4A devices.
The new update comes as MIUI 9.2.6.0.NCCMIEK and is of 1.3 GB in size and finally brings Android Nougat to Redmi 4A. This update also brings January security patch along with major changes like Interactive and Fresh UI changes including New System animations, Split Screen, Quick Switch, New Gallery ...
Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 5 Pro smartphones running on MIUI 9.2 based on Android Nougat 7.1 in India on 14th February. The smartphone duo went on sale for the first time in India on 22nd February and company claims to have sold over 3 lakh units under 3 minutes.
Now, company is looking for MIUI Global Beta ROM testers for Redmi 5, Redmi 5 Plus (launched as Redmi Note 5 in India) and Redmi Note 5 Pro. However, MIUI Global Beta ROM for these devices will be based on Android Nougat at least for now as nothing is mentioned about the Android version in the post. In a conversation on Twitter, Jai Mani has already revealed that Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 5 Pro will be receiving Android Oreo update but the company hasn’t announced a timeline yet.
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Users from all regions can apply for Beta testing but they are supposed to flash MIUI Global Beta ROM on their device which can be done using Updater method or Fastboot Flash method. Users are also supposed to install an instant messenger QQ to discuss bugs with other testers and team. If you are an active member ...
Google Lens was first announced at the I/O 2017 event last year and since then it was only available in Google Photos and in Assistant for Pixel phones. However, Google today announced that Google Lens will roll out to more Android and iOS devices running on latest Google Photos app in the coming weeks.
Lens will be available to all English-language users using the latest Google Photos app. Google also mentioned that English-language users on compatible flagship devices will get the camera-based Lens experience within the Google Assistant in the coming weeks. The company says it will add support for more devices gradually.
Google Lens allows you to scan your photos for landmarks and objects and fetch more details, all within the same screen. Moving past the compatibility cycle, Google says that in the coming weeks it will add support for recognizing common animals and plants, like different dog breeds and flowers making it easier to search and take action on what you see. Along with Google Lens, the company has also made some major ARCore announcements along with support for more devices.
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Google ahead of the MWC 2018 is making some major announcements to its products including the ARCore, Lens, RCS Message and now it is the Assistant. The company says that it is aiming to improve Assistant with some key features like more than 30 languages support, multilingual support, location-based reminders, Routines and more throughout the year.
After teasing with Android One and Go phones that are coming at MWC in a couple of days, Google today mentioned that by the end of this year Assistant will be available in more than 30 languages, reaching 95% of all eligible Android phones worldwide. In the next few weeks, Assistant will be available in Danish, Dutch, Hindi, Indonesian, Norwegian, Swedish and Thai on Android phones and iPhones.
Furthermore, it also said that it is making the Assistant multilingual later this year, so families or individuals that speak more than one language can speak naturally to the Assistant. This move is to make Assistant understand you in multiple languages fluently. Multilingual support will first be available in English, French, and German and more languages to join soon.
Next up is the expansion of Assistant capabilities by allowing it to perform various actions on the phone and inside your apps. Google is said ...
A week after HTC's smartphone business president Chialin Chang left the company, a new report from Digital Trends claims that HTC is now laying off a significant portion of its U.S. team leaving only the HTC Global division employees in the U.S..
Furthermore, the report says that HTC has laid off between a few dozen to around 100 people. This move indicates that HTC may be shifting away from the U.S to focus more on the Asian markets. The company has been facing rough time with the continuous decline in profits and market reach. It lost around 70 million to 100 million USD every quarter the past year.
In an Email, HTC confirmed that it now combined the smartphone and VR divisions under common leadership in each region. With Google's $1.1 billion acquisition of large part of HTC’s smartphone division that is closed last month, there is still hope for HTC.
Despite the downfall, the company is scheduled to launch the U12 flagship later this year following the success of U11 which received positive reviews. On the other hand, the Vive and smartphone merger is to reduce operation cost.
The company in an Email said:
We have recently brought our smartphone and VR businesses under common leadership in each ...
The annual Mobile World Congress (MWC) officially on Monday, February 26th, but most companies have scheduled their events tomorrow, and some of them including LG, Catphones, ARCHOS and others have already started introducing new products. The upcoming week is going to be a cornucopia of smartphone goodness and we’re on ground already to bring you the latest on the latest! With the tone set, we thought it right to bring you a quick rundown of the latest buzz from Barcelona about what to expect. So without further ado, here’s the top announcements we expect from MWC 2018.
Samsung
We already know all the details about the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ smartphones, including detailed specifications and the price. The design, battery capacity and the display of the Galaxy S9 series is expected to be similar to the Galaxy S8 series, but the internals will have a minor upgrade. The Galaxy S9 is said to feature 12MP variable aperture camera to adjust between f/ 1.5 and f/ 2.4 aperture as well as 480fps super slo-mo recording. The Galaxy S9+ is said to come with dual rear camera.
The fingerprint sensor will be moved below the camera to make it easy to access. The phones are said to be powered ...
[Update: Both the Xperia XZ2 and Xperia XZ2 Compact has surfaced in more renders in four different colors. New image also shows wireless charging in XZ2]
As we inch closer to the MWC 2018 show, more details about the smartphones and the tech that is going to debut at the event are getting revealed. Latest to join is the Sony Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact; which of lately are making the internet without shying away. Today we get to see the press images of the flagships in their full glory.
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Thanks to the sources of the VentureBeat and @evleaks, the Sony flagships design is now revealed, and for the first time, Sony has changed the design from the boring generous top and bottom bezels throughout its lineup. The Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact now come with a full screen 18:9 aspect ratio which is a complete makeover.
The Sony Xperia XZ2 will sport a 5.7-inch screen while the XZ2 Compact will have a smaller 5-inches FHD+ 18:9 display. They are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC and run Android 8.0 Oreo with Sony's custom skin on top. Both the phones pack 3D glass on both faces of its aluminum frame and come with Corning Gorilla ...
